HIRE WITH
CLARITY
For critical roles where the passive market is the only market. We map the field, build the case, and place with certainty.
BUILT FOR THE CRITICAL
Retained is for the hire the business cannot afford to get wrong. One role, one committed search, and a complete view of who exists before you decide. Where the role is defined and the market is already there, professional search is the faster route.
NICHE POSITIONS
Highly specialised roles where active candidates simply don't exist.
EXECUTIVE LEVEL
Directors and VPs who require a targeted, persuasive approach to move.
REGIONAL REACH
Mandates that require a wide geographical search. Spanning APAC, EMEA and beyond.
A SIGNAL TO SENIOR TALENT
Committing to the search is what tells a director or VP the hire is real, and worth taking the call for.
HOW WE WORK
Retained search is an exclusive, upfront engagement where a firm commits to fully mapping the market for one critical role. Ader Solutions runs retained search for director, VP, and executive hires across AI and Deep Tech, Data Centres, Lifesciences, Medtech, and Industrials in Singapore and APAC. Full market mapping, a transparent candidate list, and weekly calibration through to close.
We do not rely on a vague representation of the market. For retained mandates we go further: a complete picture of the talent landscape before a single conversation is initiated. Every search begins with data, not assumptions.
- Stage 01
BRIEF & ALIGNMENT
All hiring stakeholders participate in a full briefing session. We define competencies, role objectives, and required industry background together. We map the role against the business. Not just the job description. Culture, team dynamics, and what success looks like are established before we start.
- Stage 02
EMPLOYER VALUE PROPOSITION
We craft a bespoke Candidate Briefing Pack for every retained mandate. This is how we open doors with passive candidates who aren't looking. A compelling case for the role, the company, and the opportunity.
- Stage 03
TALENT SOURCING & MARKET MAPPING
We define the Talent Addressable Market and go deeper. Competitors, adjacent industries, transferrable skills. Every identified candidate, accepted or declined, is presented to you as live market data. You see the full field. Not just who we spoke to.
- Stage 04
ASSESSMENT & SHORTLIST
Every candidate is assessed using a bespoke scorecard aligned to your criteria. Ader conducts all first-round interviews. Competency, functional, and behavioural-led assessments. Not surface-level qualification calls. You receive 3 to 5 fully qualified candidates.
- Stage 05
WEEKLY CALIBRATION
We meet weekly to examine pipeline status, market conditions, and search progress. If the market is tighter than expected, we tell you. If parameters need to shift, we revise together. No black boxes.
- Stage 06
CLOSE & ONBOARD
We manage the offer process and navigate competing interests. Our role does not end at placement. We stay in contact with both sides through the guarantee period.
CONTINGENCY VS RETAINED
| CONTINGENCYSuccess fee. Paid on placement. | RETAINEDUpfront fee, and a full-cycle search. | |
|---|---|---|
| Market View | A market data report on the role. | Deep market mapping, and a transparent list of the field it produced. |
| Briefing | The role brief taken at kick-off. | Full stakeholder briefing, and a bespoke briefing pack the candidate actually reads. |
| EVP | Not included | We articulate why a senior person should leave what they already have. |
| Sourcing | A talent sourcing strategy, worked alongside your other routes. | The same strategy built off the map, and worked exclusively. |
| Assessment | Qualification calls. | Competency, functional and behavioural-led assessment. |
| Scorecards | Not included | A written scorecard on every candidate you interview. |
| Shortlist | A shortlist presentation. | A shortlist presented against the mapped field, so you see who was left out and why. |
| Cadence | Not included | Weekly calibration meetings, brief to close. |
| Exclusivity | Not included | One firm on the role. Nobody racing you to a CV. |
| Fee | Success fee, paid on placement. | Upfront engagement fee, staged across the search. |
FREQUENTLY ASKED
What is the difference between retained and contingency search?
Contingency search is paid only on a successful hire and suits active, mid-level roles. Retained search is an upfront, exclusive engagement for senior, niche, or critical roles, covering deep market mapping, a transparent list of candidates, and structured delivery from brief to onboard.
When should I use retained executive search?
Use retained search when the role is senior or niche, the strongest candidates are passive and not applying, or the mandate spans multiple APAC markets and needs dedicated time, market intelligence, and full process visibility.
Which sectors does Ader Solutions recruit for?
Ader Solutions specialises in AI and Deep Tech, Data Centres, Lifesciences and Medtech, and Industrials across Singapore and the wider APAC region.